UC San Diego is seeking men and women aged 45 to 80 suffering from Parkinson’s disease to participate in a research study evaluating the impact of the drug Azilect’s potential for improving cognitive impairment caused by the condition.

Sponsored by Teva Pharmaceuticals, the clinical trial will not only further the understanding of Parkinson’s disease and a potential treatment but also provide participants with:

• Clinical trial participation at no cost,

• Study-related care at a health care facility, and

• Study-related health care monitoring.

The recruitment period for the drug trial will continue through March. La Jolla is one of 44 participating sites nationwide.

Irene Litvan, M.D., the UCSD Neuroscience and Movement Disorder Center’s director of its Movement Disorders Program, is seeking volunteers in the LaJolla/San Diego County area to participate.

“The study is for persons who’ve had some complaints of memory difficulty and difficulty with multitasking,” said Litvan. “The study is for the use of (the) medication for the purpose of seeing whether it can improve cognitive function in this patient population.”

Nervous tremors and stiffness are classical symptoms of Parkinson’s disease. It is hoped through the Azilect study that research will shed light on brain function and nerve pathways and how that affects cognition and motor skills.

Litvan said subjects chosen for the Parkinson’s study will be administered either a dose of Azilect or a placebo for a period of about a month.

For more information, call the national Parkinson’s Support Solutions (PSS) at 866-880-8582.